The Function of the Material and Technical Basis

Modern machine production is the material and technical basis of socialism, the first phase of communism. However, socialist production has as yet not reached the state and level enabling it abundantly to satisfy the people’s steadily growing material and spiritual requirements. Without having reached that level society cannot enter communism, whose basic dictum is: “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.” The cup of communism is a cup of abundance, which must be constantly filled to the brim, because only in that case is it possible to provide each person with everything he needs.

No principles are finer, loftier or more attractive than those of communism. But in order to implement these principles there must be abundance. There is only one way to accomplish this, and it is to secure the development of the productive forces on a mammoth scale; in other words, to build the material and technical basis of communism. When this basis is built and abundance is achieved, and when every member of society learns to apply his capabilities to the utmost it will be easy to go over to communist distribution according to needs.

The function of the material and technical basis of communism is thus primarily to provide an abundance of material and spiritual values and thereby create the conditions for the implementation of the communist principle of distribution and the achievement of complete economic equality for all people. This is the sole foundation for securing the highest possible labour productivity, putting an end to the old division of labour and reforming its very process, turning it into a vital need and a source of joy, inspiration and desire to create.

The material and technical basis of communism is the only foundation on which it is possible to transform socialist into communist social relations, and erase the essential distinctions between the working class and the peasants, between town and country and between mental and physical work.

Only with the existence of this basis is it possible to bring up the new man, a man with a rich intellect, lofty moral principles and magnificent physical development. This can well be appreciated, because to have the opportunity to develop fully man must be absolutely secure materially, his spiritual requirements must be fully satisfied and he must have plenty of leisure time, after work, in order to participate actively in the administration of society and improve himself physically and culturally. The amount of free time a person has depends on the productivity of his labour, in other words, on the quantity of products he can produce within the shortest possible working time. This is achieved only with the existence and skilful utilisation of the most perfect implements and means of labour designed in accordance with the latest scientific and technical advances. The material and technical basis of communism is thus the economic prerequisite for the moulding of the fully developed man, which is the goal of social development.

Communism is an efficiently organised society with an extremely mobile and rationally marshalled industry that can effectually readjust itself in order speedily to satisfy constantly growing social and personal requirements. But efficiency in administration and management likewise rests on modern technology, on the latest means of control, information and communication.

Another vital function of the material and technical basis of communism is that it allows winning the economic competition with capitalism, increasing the impact of the new society on international affairs, and strengthening the country’s defence capacity, thereby giving Soviet people the possibility of working in peace without fear of aggressive encroachment by the imperialists.

Thus, the building of this basis is the main objective of communist construction.

Features and Ways of Building the Material and Technical Basis of Communism

In speaking of the features of the material and technical basis of communism, we must note that the building of this basis is not reduced simply to a quantitative growth or simple increase of production capacities. First and foremost, it presupposes deep-going qualitative changes of the very process of production. Its qualitative features are: the country’s complete electrification and, on that foundation, improved technology and organisation of social production in all spheres of the economy; comprehensive mechanisation of production and an ever-growing scale of automation; broad application of chemistry in the economy; the utmost promotion of new, economically effective branches of production, and the development of new forms of energy and materials; comprehensive and efficient utilisation of natural, material and manpower resources; the closest possible link between science and production, and a rapid rate of scientific and technical progress; a high level of culture and technical know-how among the people; a substantially higher labour productivity than in the leading capitalist countries

Automation and Mechanisation

Automation is the truest sign of our times. Without automation modern production would never have achieved its present level. Automation has made possible the launching of spaceships, the operation of the giant nuclear-powered ice-breaker, the mass production of diverse machines, and the attainment by atom particles of incredible velocities in accelerators.

There could be no question of the technology of communism without automation. In order to get a picture of this technology, of the industry of the future, let us glance into the workshop of a large factory.

It is a spacious and bright building with rows of busy machines, a large quantity of various equipment and numerous devices. Only a few people operate all this machinery. One of them is on duty at the control panel with its multitude of switches, push-buttons and gauges.

Is this huge workshop operated by only one person? Indeed, there is only one person, but he has numerous assistants in the form of his all-seeing, all-knowing and versatile machines and instruments. They feed the workblanks, process them and pass them on in the required sequence. As though at the wave of a magic wand, the finished parts move from the different departments to the assembly workshop, where they are put together to form the finished article.

This then is an automated plant, where all the technological and transport operations are accomplished without man’s direct participation. Man only controls the automated machines and instruments, adjusts them and programmes the technological process.

Comprehensive mechanisation and automation are the key trend of technical progress and a feature of the material and technical basis of communism. They effectively boost labour productivity, thus helping to step up output, improve its quality and reduce production costs, deliver man from arduous physical effort and change and creatively enrich the very nature of labour.

Soviet industry is confronted with the task of supplying the economy with all types of modern machines and mechanisms, particularly with means of automation, remote control and electronics. This is stressed in the Programme of the C.P.S.U., which envisages an unparalleled rapid growth of the output of the most diverse means of automation and electronics.

Power Engineering Industry

Every branch of the economy rests on power engineering, because production is always linked up with power consumption.

Electric energy is the key requirement of modern scientific and technical progress, and for that reason the Programme of the C.P.S.U. regards electrification as the pivot of economic development.

The most universal form of power, electricity, is becoming ever more widespread, changing all branches of production and technological processes. Automation, electronics, cybernetics, chemistry, electrometallurgy, the electric working of metals, electrothermy and other spheres are founded on electricity.

Experts tell us that if throughout the world power engineering expands at the Soviet rate, the power output will increase approximately 10,000-fold within the next 100 years. This will not only help to multiply labour productivity many times over but also give man unheard-of power over nature. He will be able to control the climate—regulate temperature and precipitation, and heat the soil, turning the globe into a flowering orchard and freeing crops from the whims of nature. Man’s transforming activities will thereby range beyond our planet.

Complete electrification will give tremendous impetus to the engineering, metallurgical, metalworking, fuel and other heavy industries, which will remain the foundation of economy under communism as well. In its turn, the swift development of the heavy industries will make it possible to raise all other branches of the economy—the light and food industries, agriculture, building, transport, and communications, as well as trade, public catering, public health, housing, the municipal economy and other everyday services—to a higher level.

Chemicalisation

One of the highlights of the material and technical basis of communism is the chemicalization of industry. Modern production with its incredible speeds, enormous pressures and super-high temperatures is inconceivable without new manmade raw materials, and fuels. In close alliance with production, science has therefore joined nature in a competition “for quality" and, more often than not, it gains the upper hand. Science has already developed plastics, artificial rubber, fibres and other products of the present-day chemistry of polymers, most of which are tougher, cheaper and more attractive than natural materials.

Chemical products and synthetic materials are effecting profound qualitative changes in key industries, allowing them to put out more and better products, ensuring accumulations for further industrial development and raising the standard of living. Chemistry is enlarging the raw material resources, producing new materials for industry and effective means (fertilisers, for example) of stepping up agricultural output and turning out more and better consumer goods.

Chemicalisation is making work easier, increasing labour productivity and helping to cut down labour outlays. For instance, 200 man-days are required for the production of a ton of raw cotton. The output of a ton of wool takes 350–400 man-days. But it takes only 50 man-days to produce a ton of viscose fabric. Chemicalisation saves huge quantities of foodstuffs ordinarily used for industrial purposes. Progress in Chemicalisation creates favourable conditions for the development of atomic power engineering, reactive technology, radio electronics and other important industries.

Polymers adorn the life of man. Warm, inexpensive and smart clothes, hygienic and attractive floor and wall coverings, washable furniture and unbreakable utensils are just a few of the articles made from plastics that are carving a niche for themselves in everyday life.

Agricultural Production

We have reviewed the role of electricity, chemistry and automation in the building of communism’s material and technical basis. But they are not the only instruments for building that basis.

Many industries, particularly the consumer goods industry, require raw materials produced in agriculture, which, in addition, provides people with food. The standard of living and society’s progress towards communist abundance depend, in substantial measure, on the level of agricultural development, and, therefore, one of the most urgent and difficult tasks of communist construction is to achieve an upswing of agricultural output.

In the U.S.S.R. agriculture has made considerable headway during Soviet years. There has been a marked increase in the output of grain and other products. At the same time, the level of agricultural production is still not high enough to ensure the abundant satisfaction of the rapidly growing food requirements of the population. This is due chiefly to the population increment and the rise of real incomes. The outlook, therefore, is that requirements will grow even more rapidly than before.

A point we must make here is that on the basis of economic development the plan provides for the solution of important social problems: accelerated rate of growth of national prosperity, which creates the material prerequisites for the all-round development of man; further progress in erasing the essential distinctions between town and country and between mental and physical work; the strengthening of the fraternal alliance of the peoples of the U.S.S.R.; and a still further consolidation of the political and material foundations of the alliance between the working class and the peasants.

When the material and technical basis of communism is built, the U.S.S.R. will have an abundance of material and spiritual values for the entire population, and this will enable it to go over to communist distribution according to needs